Antique Moss Filled Fishing Rod Box DIY

As a rule I make a point to sell most of what I bring home…and I bring home a lot from all over the place. So, in an effort to avoid becoming Sanford and Son Salvage I make a diligent attempt to not get attached to things and list them in the shop every Friday. Every now and then, there is a piece that wriggles its way into my heart, and so goes the story of the antique fishing rod box.

I listed this fishing pole box, I did, but then I didn’t. I got a wild hair in the middle of the night (this is when my best ideas come to me) and I decided that the fishing rod box needed to be filled with moss and handmade clay mushrooms…lots of mushrooms. Anyways, back to the fish reel box. The box has the loveliest patina on the wood and the metal hardware is perfectly rusty. The wood could have benefitted from some Wax ‘n’ Feed, which if I were relisting it, I would definitely condition it. I really liked the lighter wood look, so I left it as it was. I pried the hinges away from the box so I could remove the lid. It felt like a cardinal sin to remove the lid, but I knew it would be worth it.

Though I permanently removed the lid from the box, I did avoid gluing anything into the box. This gives the option to remove the moss and create something new later. I am also planning to make something out of the lid…if I can remember where I put it. This project is versatile, you don’t have to own an antique fishing rod box to do this project, you might even have a container around the house that you can use. You can make this project with a smaller box, a new box, a box with socks (oh, I guess that would be weird) or any other type of container like a bowl etc.

To create a moss-filled wood box using hot glue, dried moss, and styrofoam, follow the steps below or head over to our Instagram page to see our step by step video for creating this box AND some precious mushrooms to add to the finished box!

Materials:

  • Wood box
  • Hot glue gun and glue stocks
  • Dried moss
  • Styrofoam balls in various sizes and a block of styrofoam
  • Bread knife

Instructions:

  • Clean the wood box: Remove any dust or debris from the box’s surface using a damp cloth.
  • Optional: If you want to give your wood box a different color or finish, you can paint or stain it according to your preference.
  • Measure the interior dimensions of the wood box.
  • Using the bread knife, cut the styrofoam block to fit snugly inside the box. The height of the block should be below the depth of the box.
  • I set my foam in the box, instead of gluing it to the box in case I want to use it for something else later.
  • Cut foam balls in half and glue to the strips of styrofoam that you cut.
  • Apply hot glue to the top surface of the styrofoam in small sections.
  • Press pieces of dried moss onto the glue, ensuring they adhere well. You can break the moss into smaller sections for a better fit.
  • Trim any excess moss using scissors to achieve the desired shape and size.
  • Inspect the box for any loose or unglued moss sections. Apply hot glue as needed.

Your moss-filled wood box is now ready! It can be used as a decorative centerpiece, for displaying small items, or as part of your garden-themed decor. We share how to videos on our Instagram page every week and share sneak peeks of our Friday shop listings throughout the week.

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